Alabama pass defense dominant

By Tommy DeasExecutive Sports Editor | The Tuscaloosa News

Saturday

Oct 26, 2013 at 7:00 PMOct 26, 2013 at 7:24 PM

Tennessee had compiled 120 passing yards by halftime Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but no points. The University of Alabama pass defense had posted 117 yards in interception returns and scored a touchdown by intermission.

Tennessee had compiled 120 passing yards by halftime Saturday at Bryant-Denny Stadium, but no points.The University of Alabama pass defense had posted 117 yards in interception returns and scored a touchdown by intermission.A Crimson Tide defensive secondary made up of ever-changing parts because of injuries and other factors has managed to maintain consistency in giving opponents trouble. Alabama held Tennessee to 195 passing yards, with the Volunteers completing 13 of 28 attempts.It marked the fourth time in eight games, and the third in a row, that UA has held an opponent's completion rate below 50 percent. Alabama also had multiple interceptions in a game for the third time this season, picking off Tennessee twice.Cyrus Jones made his first start at cornerback, with Deion Belue on the other side. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, who missed two games because of a suspension, started at free safety, with Landon Collins, who had worked at free safety in Clinton-Dix's absence, moving over to strong safety. UA played for the first time this season without safety Vinnie Sunseri, who was lost for the year to a knee injury the week before against Arkansas.“Every game we're growing up and maturing,” Belue said. “You've got to think of it as a plus because it's a long season, and the more guys that play more than one position, it's for the best.“It may sound bad, but it's going to end up for the best.”Belue intercepted a Justin Worley pass in the second quarter, returning it 28 yards into Tennessee territory.Collins picked off a pass at the end of the first half and returned it 89 yards for a touchdown.“I read the break and broke on the ball toward the wide receiver and caught the pick,” he said. “He threw it right to me.“After that, it was to the house because I didn't see anyone in front of me but my linemen. After we got the last block on the quarterback, that was it.”That block came from defensive end Jeoffrey Pagan.“He's pretty fast for his size,” Collins said of his lead blocker, “but I didn't think he was that fast to keep up.“I just cruised on in after he got that block.”Sunseri, who previously made most of the defensive calls in the secondary, took on more of a coaching role in helping his teammates in the secondary prepare.“Vinnie still knows the defense regardless of if he's out,” Collins said. “He's still in our meetings, helping us out and letting us know what's going on.“Stepping in for him, I tried to do the same things that he did. If he had been in there, he could have done the same thing.”

Reach Tommy Deas at tommy@tidesports.com or at 205-722-0224.

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